Love Conquers All
by Sharleen the Orc Shaman
Summary: When Albel runs into a young girl in Peterney, he barely cares. But he notices she's carrying a legendary axe, he goes off to follow her when she leaves. Why? Who is she? And why is she here? R&R! Rated T for later content. Chapter 3 Up!
1. Chapter 1

Heyas! Welcome to the writing place… thing… whatever. Hope you enjoy the fic, and if you think it's poorly written or there's too many errors, please review and tell me. Muchos gracias to whoever _does_ review.

Author's Pre-story note: If you don't like Sophia-bashing, please press the back button on your browser. Also, this is an AlbelxOC fanfic, so don't be mad if you came here for boy-on-boy action. There's plenty more fics of that :) Oh, and I wouldn't want to know why you came here if I stated this in the summary…

Chapter 1

**_Love Conquers All _**

* * *

Albel was walking down the streets of Peterney, as usual, trying to keep himself entertained. The monsters outside were pitiful compared to what Albel was soon to face, Luther. Fayt and company had decided to take a few days off, and Albel refused. Why put up fighting and saving the universe, for a bit or R&R? It didn't quite make sense to him at all. After it all, the majority overruled his objection, and he was quite pissed. He was thinking about this, while pacing near the west exit of the city, not where he usually was.

His train of thought suddenly crashed when a girl about the age of eighteen or nineteen bumped into him, and almost knocked him into the ground. She had almost fallen on top of him, if she hadn't just realized _who_ she was about to fall on. She tried her best to make herself edge the other way, but strong arms caught the 'young' girl. Strands of long, black hair flew from one side to the other, as a small gust came in.

"Worm, watch where you're going next time." She looked up, just in time to see blood-red eyes staring into her soft, amber ones. She flashed a nervous grin, faint signs of blushing slowly forming on her warm face. He let go of her when she stood up to at least show she could support herself, her slightly wobbling.

"Sorry…" She let out without a hint of fear, sarcasm dripping from her words.. This slightly surprised him. Most of the time, when he talked to anyone, they'd at least sound scared. Not this time, however. The girl had been more fearless than most of his men. He silently observed her attire. A white tank top with light-blue fingerless gloves, dark brown leather pants studded with… Angel's Stone… along with black leather boots. Strange, she also had two blue marks on the right side of her face, one going halfway from her ear to her nose, the other from her hair line half-way to the corner of her lip. She had ear piercings, as he could see, as she wore gigantic hoop earrings that were the color of blood, and a gigantic two-handed axe was carried on her back… somehow…

"May I ask you a question, maggot?"

"Go right on ahead." She quickly looked away from him to look at a store, and then backs, but she couldn't see him afterwards.

"Was that on accident? Or was that to get my attention?" He was behind her, eyeing her gigantic axe. It seemed to look like it was in the shape of a dragon's head; the handle made of natural red wood and the metal almost a metallic purpleish-greyish color.

She didn't even take a glance at Albel, who was waiting for an answer. "Why would I? I wouldn't gain anything from doing that. And why would I want your attention? You're just some crazed swordsman from Airyglyph that wants to kill people. If I could, I'd try to avoid you. Oh yeah, and the axe is custom-made, designed by me to be the fastest axe around." She somehow knew Albel was staring at her axe.

He looked amused, a playful smirk on his face. "Oh really? Why not prove it?" His smirk grew wider at her moan of exaustion.

"Do I have to? I mean, seriously, who HASN'T heard of the Dragonmaster's Axe? Or have you never heard of it?" she turned to him, or at least where he used to stand. He was, again, behind her.

"Fool. Of course I have. It's an axe that allows you to befriend any dragon of your choice at will, and the power of the dragon you have chosen binds with the blade's power. Don't think I'm an ignorant fool like one of the worms in my party." He snorted, and then realized that she was facing him now. He looked away, only to have his chin lifted by the awkward girl. She smiled at him out of pity, and let go, barely pushing him to the ground.

"Don't ever call me a fool, weakling."

"Wretch, how dare you call me weak!"

"I can call you whatever I want, damnit!"

"Humph."

A few moments of awkward silence prevailed, then was broken by a statement from the awkward girl. "My name's Charlene, by the way." She paused to get her axe, which she lazily dragged behind her as she moved in front of the swordsman. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

Albel quietly moved out of her way, but she harshly bumped into his side. _What I wouldn't give to kill her, ripping her from limb to limb… Blasted city…_ he thought, turning to watch her leave Peterney in a graceful walk. "Well, that's one maggot I won't see again…" he sighed, and paced near the bar he was outside of. He was taking many things into thought, and decided to track her down, and spar with her at least once, to see what she really fought like.

"Damned fool, I'll just have to go find her…" he muttered, quickly exiting Peterney's west gate. "I just hope she didn't go too far, otherwise I won't find her by sunset."

To his surprise, he found her just outside the bustling city, fighting a rather large Destroyer. He quickly paused, contemplating on whether to help this 'Charlene' or let her do it on her own.

"Air Slash!" came a loud, harsh voice.

She quietly jumped to the side, as the destroyer died at the feet of a familiar, smirking swordsman. She raised a brow, looking quite amused by the rather skinny swordsman.

"What made you come here?" she asked, thinking quickly of what she did in Peterney. She looked at him with an odd face, a mix of confusion and amusement playing on her pale skin, following with understanding and playfulness.

"You… I challenge you to a duel."

"Oh really?" she asked, amused. "I accept." She raised her axe, prepared to run and swing at the swordsman at any given time.

"I didn't say right now, worm." He sat down on the ground, staring at it. "I don't trounce weak maggots. At least regain your health a bit."

"I don't- Fine." She sat down on the Destroyer they had recently taken down, eating a small handful of blueberries along with a few blackberries. She hadn't expected a duel, but she was ready for it.

"Ready, maggot?" He unsheathed his katana, the Crimson Scourge. She just nodded, knowing she would be shouting in anger than in anticipation. Charlene charged, knocking him to the ground before he could do anything to stop it. He quickly got up to meet a double-edged axe coming to his face, which he easily parried. She was a little mad at this, which made her run off and come back again, this time with one of her special moves.

"Lightning Strikes!" she roared, swinging rather fast at the swordsman with her axe. He quickly jumped out of the way, also coming back with one of his special moves.

"Double Slash!" he shouted, taking two swings at her behind her back. A small gasp escaped her lips, turning just in time for the second slash, and blocking it. Albel grunted, running away from her.

"Dragon Roar!"

"Air's Grace!" they both shouted at the same time, Charlene surrounded by a blue light, Albel surrounded by a red one. Red Dragons fought against blue waves of light and a very pissed woman. He smirked evilly, as he increased the large circle of glowing red light the dragons had supposedly come from. His eyes now glowed red, his power draining by the second.

Charlene dropped, the blue vanishing suddenly. But as the waves of red came, she was ready. She quickly jumped up in the air, flipping, and landing on about five dragons at once, and quickly cart-wheeled off of the red light.

"That isn't possible…" Albel growled. _No one can even **touch** the dragons, let alone stop this special move unless they hit me._ He got out of stance, letting the last dragon distract her as he started another move. _Think fast, Albel. You need a new move for this maggot._ He was quickly cut off by a yell, which was too high-pitched to be Charlene, who talked in a low, seductive voice. Or was it?

"What was that?"

Charlene quickly dropped to the ground, her leg badly wounded by what looked like something like a blade… except…

"What the hell?" Albel growled, walking over to her. She had passed out, her stomach also damaged by a similar wound. _I never made that mark on her, neither the leg marks either, and my dragons don't leave marks like that…_ he thought, confused. _Anyways, I need to get this wretch to a doctor or something…_

He picked her up, brushing some of the long, black strands out of her face. _Well, at least she's a pretty wretch…_ and marched off into Peterney, walking quickly to the inn.

* * *

For some reason, I feel like writing this story's other chapters… But I need reviews to tell me if I should or not - .v- Oh yes, and I'll also take title suggestions… because I think this current one sucks. 


	2. Chapter 2

Okays, going to the chapter as soon as possible!

**Miss Nox:** Thanks for reviewing! It's always nice to be responded by one of your most favorite authors on the site and thanks, though I thought about making her a good girl that falls for the bad boy and vice versa. Though I think you'd like it more if I wrote some yaoi (really bad at it for some reason)

WARNING: There may be some OOC Albel in this chapter!

Chapter 2

**_Love Conquers All _**

* * *

Albel had just walked into the inn, knowing it was well after sunset and that he might need to find a doctor faster than he was thinking. Charlene was getting colder by her feel, and Albel started to actually feel an ounce of panic.

He hurried to his room, where he could see her wounds more carefully and at least clean them. But on the way, a rather energetic girl had bounced up to him, just at a very bad time.

"What are you doing, Albel?" A rather information-hungry girl in pink asked curiously, peering over his shoulder to see a young woman in his arms. "Oh, Albel! You know you should have told Fayt you'd bring your woman here!"

Albel blushed, but so slightly it was barely visible. "She's not my woman, wench! Now get off me," he growled, eyeing a wine bottle on the table nearby. "Or else I'll shove that wine bottle-"

Before he could finish, she was off, horrified by what she just heard. _Good_, Albel thought quietly, smirking a tad bit before continuing his trek to his room.

But before he knew it, there was a rather annoying blonde up ahead, and that blonde wouldn't keep a damn secret if it chained itself to his own damn mouth. He sighed in frustration. _I'm thinking Hell is a lot better than this damned hellhole filled with wretches, worms, maggots, and bit-_

"Heya Albel," asked a grinning Cliff, "Hittin' on the ladies, finally?"

Albel angrily pushed him aside. _Damn distraction…_

Cliff scratched his head as Albel opened the door to his door briefly, and then shut it fiercely.

_Damn, she must like it **ROUGH**,_ was Cliff's last thought, before he opened the door to his room to go to sleep.

* * *

Inside his room, Albel laid down Charlene on his bed. He stared at her quietly for a moment, looking over her figure. She was very curvy, he noted, but she wasn't overweight. Most of her physical features were made of muscle, and that usually made a woman less appealing to a man. He gruffly looked away and went to find his special satchel. In it, he found special herbs, which help regenerate and heal wounds faster. He hurriedly paced over to the sink-like thing in his room, and carried a large bowl and a clean cloth. 

After getting the water, Albel hurried over to the woman on his bed, and started to try and clean her wounds.

* * *

After about an hour after all of the cleaning and bandaging, Albel was about to walk out of the room, holding the doorknob, when he heard a familiar voice. 

"No… don't go…" a still-unconscious Charlene whispered, a strained look on her face.

_What the…_ Albel thought suddenly, and shut the door quietly. "What is it?"

"They're… They're after… me…" she said with a hurt tone. Albel looked shocked (Well, as shocked as he'll ever look).

"Who?" he asked, feeling stupid talking to an unconscious girl. How the hell did she talk in her sleep, and how the heck did she hear him? This, not even God knew.

"...Everyone..." she grunted, her arms slowly going under the fluffy white pillow that her head was currently resting on. "Damn… it…."

Her eyes suddenly flew open, as she broke into a sweat. "Where…" she started, but Albel was already telling her to hush, knowing he would have to explain this to her later…

"I'll explain to you later. What the hell happened back in the Sanmite Steppes? You fool, you could've gotten yourself killed…" He looked furious, his blood-red eyes filled with concern and somewhat of relief.

"W-What do you mean?" she asked, dumbfounded. It wasn't her fault she didn't remember anything after Albel had started hurling giant dragons at her!

"You passed out before we could finish the duel. You suddenly collapsed, and these strange marks appeared everywhere…" he pointed out where, and her eyes went to the areas he pointed at. "And trust me, I didn't make those marks. Where did they come from?"

"…What the hell?" she growled. "Strange marks?"

"Yes, fool. It looked like blade marks, but I didn't make them."

"…Don't call me a fool." She looked up with sea blue eyes. "…Weakling." She managed before he responded.

"Humph. Answer me."

"Fine… I'll tell you." She sighed deeply, but continued. "You remember me telling you about my axe, right?"

He simply nodded, looking at the weapon that was referring to.

"Well, the axe is cursed." His eyes darted back up to meet the tired, melancholy eyes of Charlene's.

"Bah, nonsense." She looked at him with anger. "You mean that, don't you?"

"Of course I do." She looked up at the ceiling, where all she saw was a pale olive green. "Damn axe."

"But… you crafted it, fool! How can it be cursed?" he now looked at her with sheer anger.

"It's a long story." She paused. "Don't call me a fool."

"I've got time... fool..."

She gave him the evil eye, then turned to look at a blank wall. "Oh, all right…" He smirked. "Where to begin…"

"You see, the blade opens old wounds, physical and mental. I didn't know it at the time, but I soon figured out, after I tested it out on a Destroyer outside the city about a week ago…"

"How did you know about those maggots outside being called 'Destroyers'?" he interrupted.

"They talked to me…" His cold gaze on her made her finish. "…Mentally."

Albel looked at her with a mixed state of confusion and anger. _What the hell?_ He thought. "How the hell does that work out?"

"It just does, okay!" she shouted. "Anyways, afterward, I passed out on the ground. During that, I had numerous physic nightmares."

"Why don't you just drop the axe and leave it somewhere then? It'd be quite foolish to hang onto something that's cursed."

"Because, Albel, that axe already gave me the curse. Discarding it now would be useless and stupid, since I would be defenseless in battle." She looked up at those ruby red eyes. Her eyes were now, somehow, the same color. "Anyways… The only way I can get rid of this 'curse' is to return it to where I got the damn wood, and even I don't know where I got it from. I just bought it from a blue-haired fellow…"

"…Fayt." He growled. He didn't like the boy much, but he knew it wouldn't be harmful to just ask him where he got it. "I know where he is… you stay here." He got up from his chair, when she started to grab onto his claw.

"…Wait." He stopped, looking back at the black-haired woman. "Tell him Charlene... said hi… He'll know who you're talking about."

He shrugged, and headed out the door.

* * *

I'm sooo mean… You'll never know what happens when he gets to Fayt! Muahaha! -cough cough HACK wheeze- Cant… breathe… 

R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

**Miss Nox **– Hehe, I love yaoi too, I even have some story links to some in my personal folder. Well, I just love writing so much, and I have a crap load of time to do it too. So I should be updating like at least one chapter a day –grin- Oh, and yeah, I think Albel should still act really mean to Charlene, since they still are just acquaintances… or are they? I think I was edging toward the brown one, since I hate them more than the pink ones –laughs- Glad you liked the chapter!

Chapter 3

_**Love Conquers All**_

* * *

Albel was racing down the hall, knowing Fayt would probably be in his room right now. _Damn him…_ he quietly thought, pushing past unfamiliar and rather annoying people.

He pushed until he saw what he was looking for: the door to Fayt's room. He shifted toward the door and opened it, to find a still-awake Fayt.

"Albel?" he questioned, looking up at the older swordsman. "What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Albel growled. "We need to talk."

"But I was just-"

"NOW." Albel looked more serious than ever.

"Okay, okay. What is it?" he looked down at his complex boots, which didn't look really clean…

"A girl… Charlene… wanted me to ask you some questions, worm." At the mention of her name, he quickly stood up, eyes wide.

"What? You met Charlene!" He seemed excited, but scared at the same time. He was fiddling with his thumbs right now.

"Yes, fool. And like I said, she wanted some questions to be answered." Blood-red eyes stared into light blue ones.

"Uhm…" he started, and sat down. He rubbed his temples abit, and continued. "What questions did she have in mind?"

"She wanted to ask you two things. It's about her **axe**…"

He jumped nervously at the mention of her axe. "W-What about her a-axe?"

"Where did the damn wood come from, fool!" Albel questioned, sneering every now any then because Fayt would just sit there, looking like a damned idiot.

"H-Huh?" He looked around, making sure no one else was there, despite the fact they were in a secluded room. "Look, don't tell anyone this, but I invented the wood-"

"You did what!" Albel roared, getting furious at what he said. "Wood can't be invented, fool. Speak the truth!"

"…But I _did_ invent the wood!"

"Bah, nonsense." He looked at Fayt with a nasty look, and continued. "Now, answer me, before I get angry, worm!"

"Fine, fine." He looked around, as if there was someone nearby, and leaned closer to Albel, who moved closer as well. "I got the wood from a forest off on a planet called Vanguard III, and genetically enhanced it for her."

Albel jerked away, unhappy. "Whatever forest you're talking about, fool, we're going to it, whether you like it or not."

Fayt now jerked back into the position he was in earlier. "Fine, fine." And with that, Albel moved to the door, opening it enough so that he could go.

As he headed out, he said one last thing to Fayt. "And remember, _she_'s going too, maggot…" And with that, he shut the door, hair tails swinging behind him swiftly.

Fayt sat there, paralyzed. He actually had a conversation where Albel got his way.

* * *

"I'm back, maggot."

Charlene looked up to see a fairly familiar face. She smiled. "'Bout time you came back."

"Well, it took a while… the damn maggot wouldn't answer me." His eyes narrowed at the thought of the conversation.

"You got the info anyways, right?"

"Yeah. Seems we're headed to a new planet, that damn blue-haired worm."

"Wait…" she stared off into a wall, then looked at Albel. "Another planet?"

"Vanguard III, or whatever that maggot said it was…"

"…Hey Albel?" she stared up at him with red eyes.

"What is it?" he looked down at her with a raised brow.

"How come you're being so nice to me?"

The answer never came to Albel, who just stood there, thinking about it. _Yes… why do I do this for this wench?_ He questioned himself, puzzling himself. He blushed, hints of pink coming to his face.

"Right then…" she replied after a long break of silence. "Anyways, don't you need to get some sleep?"

"I don't sleep." _…Much_.

"Oh." She looked down, and then looked up. "Well, you need rest anyways. Being tired and weak in the morning isn't such a good thing."

"Bah, fine." He looked at the ceiling, then at Charlene, who was scooting over on the bed. "Are you-"

The girl cut him off. "Where else do you think you're going to go sleep? There are no other rooms inside the inn. Stop being shy."

"I am **not** shy."

"Yes you are, I can see it on your face."

He almost forgot he was blushing, and turned away. _Damn it…_

"It's okay, though. I can get off, since I already got my sleep when I passed out…" she started to move, but Albel turned to her.

"N-no, it's fine. You need to stay in bed anyways…" He walked over to the bed, and sat down. "Don't try anything while I'm sleeping, worm, or I swear you won't see the sun again." He just adjusted from sitting, to lying down, and crossed his arms on his chest. Charlene just sat there, still looking at him. _He is pretty handsome for being a general in the military; they're usually ugly like Vox and his dogs…_

"What are you staring at, worm?" he inquired, not even casting a glance at Charlene.

"N-nothing…" she said, and started lying down.

"There's something on your mind, maggot, I can sense it."

_Yeah, you._ "I told you, it's nothing." She then turned her back to him, where he could see a full view of her backside.

_Goddamn it, Albel, stop staring!_ "Humph. Fine." He then managed to turn his back to hers.

* * *

_Charlene was inside a dark cave, where she saw two paths: One blue, one red._

_The blue path led to a grove of blue foliage. Birds and different animals roamed the around the area, whose fur was blue, of course. Inside, a blue-haired man sat on the blue grass, along with several others, who looked out of place, but didn't actually feel out of place. She felt warmth and welcome from this path, and it made her feel somehow… fitting, and like everyone else._

_The other path, however, was red, and led to a lava-filled cave. Many bones were scattered everywhere, and many ash-risen monsters surrounded someone or something in a circle. Inside the circle was a brown-haired man with long hair, and he had an unsheathed blade, which bore resemblance to a katana. His eyes were showing, and they were fiery, as if this didn't lower his hopes at all. Surprisingly, the faces on the fire abominations looked like the ones she saw in the blue path, except their expressions were filled with hate and distrust. _

_She had come to the conclusion that the blue path was trust, and the other path was companionship – until she saw the man in the red path come up to a young woman, and kiss her lightly. Now she knew that this meant more than companionship…_

_Her mind was confused, however. Which path would she choose?

* * *

_

Charlene had been tossing and turning in her sleep, which obviously woke up Albel. He looked over his shoulder. Charlene's usual contentment had turned into one of anguish and sadness. For some reason, he actually felt a tinge of sadness sweep over him. He turned to his other side, and tried to wake her up.

"Charlene…" he called, softly, since he was still half asleep. She only grunted in return, turning away from the voice. "Charlene…" he tried again, shaking her this time. She groaned, and turned towards Albel, whom she thought was still on the far side of the bed, but turned out to be right in front of her. She gasped, and jerked away, just in time to see a smirking Albel.

"Wh-What was that for?" She mumbled, groaning every now and then.

"You were tossing and turning in your sleep. What happened?" his eyes were now almost open.

"N-nothing, like I said before." She replied, looking out the window in their room. "It's midnight, go back to sleep…"

Albel grunted, but went back to where he was, and fell asleep again in no time.

"I wish…" she started, whispering it to herself, and looked out the window to see the full moon, before going back into a resting position. _I wish I could tell you… how I feel about you…

* * *

_

Le gasp! That chapter was about half a page longer than I expected it to be… Eh… I think I should rewrite some parts to this chapter > 

R&R! Still taking title suggestions!


	4. Author's Note

--**_Author's note –_**

Sorry I haven't been posting my chapters… I've been caught up in my sister's graduation and I got writer's block afterwards Also, I've been trying to get all the battle trophies in Star Ocean so I can automatically have Albel in his 4P outfit

Thanks for reviewing, Miss Nox and Cloner4000! I'll get onto writing as soon as I can! --

- Sharleen, AKA CrimsonReaper


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